One Last Dance
by Silver Lazurite
Summary: This is a story told by Aki, Ruka, Mikage, Misty, and Carly. Five women, five fates. In the tangled destiny driven by the gods and powers of Neo Domino, every single duelist will find their path hard to walk, even if you're the best dancer on life's stage


I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds, or any other canon components in this story. If similarities between this story and the canon anime plotline start to appear as both of them develop more through time, it should be regarded as purely coincidental.

I don't watch the 4Kids dubbed version. I watch subbed only, and this story thus uses Japanese names and plot elements. Also, this story will contain spoilers for those who watch dubbed version. My apologies.

**One Last Dance**

Had I known

The sweet kiss that death gives to all

I would never have taken

Life's proffered hand.

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The elevator hummed and shook a bit as I rode it up towards the Public Security Maintenance Bureau.

I ignored the two Securities standing beside me and stared into space. I wonder just what the Bureau would want with me this time. Most certainly, I don't want a repeat performance of the Fortune Cup.

With an abrupt click, the elevator stopped. A long corridor appeared before me. Without the Securities prompting, I started walking down it myself. One side of the corridor was made of wall-height windows, open for us to view the wind and the rain. And it was certainly raining, too. As my crimson high heels clicked with my steps down the corridor, the torrential storm that had enveloped Neo Domino since yesterday morning continued to unleash its relentless waters with hammer-like force. Layers of rain water slid down the glass, casting shifting shadows on the floor as if I am walking along a veritable street of the dead, with insubstantial spirits ever gathering.

A metal door stood at the end of the corridor. We stopped in front of it and it opened automatically, revealing a large room with wide windows showing the same delightful view of down-pouring rain and iron grey sky. I slowly turned my head, taking in everything in this room, identifying the people in here while the Securities exited.

But in truth, I already suspected who would be here to greet me.

I narrowed my eyes at the person directly in my field of vision. Fudo Yusei stood next to the window, coolly regarding me with his calm cobalt eyes beneath his long navy hair. That criminal marker on his face stood out starkly on the tanned skin and his casual but rather tense stance, with arms crossed across his chest, made his expression even graver. This Satellite resident gave off no haughty air about his position as the King of Riding Duels, a title he won about two weeks ago in the Fortune Cup.

I would never forget the duel he had with me in the Fortune Cup final, the way that his dragon – Stardust – destroyed my strategies again and again, and the words that he was trying to drum into me during the duel. I can't deny that in some way, they did affect me. I can feel this alteration in my blood, the way that my powers are changing. Divine was quite worried about it…

Divine… I blinked, took myself out of my short reverie concerning Fudo Yusei and conjured up the familiar red-haired face, my saviour, my only friend, my solid reliance. No matter what the Bureau is planning this time, I have a job to do for Divine here and I'd do it. That's all. I resumed my emotionless glare towards Yusei. All that blue-clad man did was stare back.

I shifted my eyes to the other person standing a little away. Jack Atlus was giving me an equally cool glare. After the Fortune Cup he has disappeared from public view for a while, and rumours were ripe concerning that. I can tell from his uplifted chin and steely gaze that a lot of his former pride still remained, but from the way he stood rather close to Fudo Yusei – perhaps there's more to these two rivals than I can tell.

But those men were not my concern. I turned to the older, white-haired man dressed in a white suit and sitting behind the table on the left.

"Izayoi-kun, welcome."

Rex Godwin's mouth curved upward with the smallest ghost of a smile when he registered my attention towards him upon hearing his deep voice. That pale-faced shadow of his, Jaeger, was nowhere to be seen.

"I hope it wasn't too much of a bother to ask you to come here again, Izayoi-kun."

"Not at all." I replied lucidly despite my quickening heartbeat. I haven't met him face to face before. Godwin nodded at my reply, unblinking, his eyes never leaving mine. His stare was piercing, unsettling. I tried to shift my eyes elsewhere, but the room's other two occupants were giving me similar looks.

"I'd also like to thank you for your participation of the Fortune Cup. It was a truly impressive tournament with your participation."

My eyebrows twitched. Impressive? You could call it that, if you think that letting thousands of people publically calling me names and having Fudo Yusei challenging everything I believe in is impressive in some obscure and twisted way.

Godwin merely gave a small smile. "Please don't misunderstand me, Izayoi-kun. I have gathered all the Signers here for your safety. With such strange murders raging through the city, I feel it necessary to place you under the Public Security Maintenance Bureau's protection." He looked straight at me. "And meanwhile, I also think that it's time to tell all of you more about the Dragon's Birthmark."

Murders, huh? So it seems that the Bureau has already come to somewhat of a conclusion regarding those accidents. However, when Godwin said his last sentence, Fudo Yusei suddenly focused his complete attention on the older man. He was looking at him before, but it was a nonchalant look. Now, with that slight lift of his brow, his eyes gazed out even more intensely from his marked face. Beside Yusei, Jack Atlus also straightened almost imperceptibly.

"Indeed, Director," I answered coolly. "After all, you are going to keep me here indefinitely."

Godwin gave the small smile again. "Please, Izayoi-kun. That, as I said, is an unfortunate necessity."

I let out a long breath. I don't know what this Director said to Divine, but the ultimate result is that I have to stay in the Public Security Maintenance Bureau for as long as it takes for Godwin to deal with his necessities, despite the fact that I am perfectly able to protect myself. I spared a sidelong look to Yusei and Jack. All of our Dragon's Birthmarks were forced to be activated during the Fortune Cup's course, thanks to Godwin's shrewd plans.

"Please make yourself comfortable," Godwin continued. "We're just waiting for our last member."

Our last member? Oh yes, that child called Ruka, the bearer of the other Birthmark of the dragon claw. I was contemplating about whether to take a stand next to Yusei and Jack or away from them – strangely there are no empty chairs for us in this room – when I heard the door open behind me.

It was the Ruka girl alright, standing there looking so small and frail with her twin, the two tall Securities flanking her making this impression even stronger. She was looking at me strangely, with a kind of understanding gaze you rarely see on a twelve-year-old's face.

"Izayoi-kun? What is it that you're thinking?" Seeing that I've fallen into silence and locked eyes with Ruka, Godwin questioned.

It quickly brought me back to reality. No, I wasn't thinking. I shouldn't be thinking to start with. I have a job to do here for the Arcadia Movement, which shall think for me. The Movement is only ones who saw the value in me, something I thought no one in the world would accomplish. They only need me to live, and live I will. Nothing else. Just exist; it's easier that way.

So I merely shook my head. Stepping aside a bit, I allowed Ruka and Rua to enter the room.

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"What are we doing back here again?"

"Be quiet, Rua." I nudged my twin brother and whispered in his ear. "It's bad manners to talk and eat at the same time."

My head was still reeling from what Director Godwin had told us. Meso-American myths… the Crimson Dragon… Yusei is still in the room talking with Godwin, in fact. My brain feels dizzy. I don't know how to understand this at all.

Well, I guess that in a way, I did know something of this. That duel in the Fortune Cup drew out a lot of my memories, and I did have dreams about the ancient battle of the dragons that Godwin talked about. But… there was something strange about my dreams. I never figured out just what are those colourful shapes the dragons were fighting against. I'm afraid to ask Godwin about it since he just skimmed over it; maybe I can ask Yusei later.

I peeked furtively to my side. We were sitting in a lounge and lunch was being served. Rua, as usual, was happily gorging down anything edible. He was also staring at that red-haired young woman sitting on the table diagonal to us. Izayoi Aki, the other finalist in the Fortune Cup who drew Yusei into a death match with her psychic powers, which can physically materialise the effects of Duel Monster cards. During the tournament two weeks ago, she was unveiled as the Black Rose Witch that roamed the Daimon area, and also as a Signer. My left hand unintentionally moved to grasp my right arm. I am one claw of the Crimson Dragon while she is the other, but no one can deny just how different we are.

She's still dressed oddly just like back then. Her rosy coloured hair is cut short at the back but quite long at the front – she put a hair clip at the front to keep it out of her eyes – and she's wearing a red coat with a long, triangular tail that almost touched the ground. Her long black gloves and black stockings made her look that much more startling.

And I haven't forgotten how I felt when I first saw her deck, either. That bitter pain which emanated from her made me gasp when she emerged to fight her first opponent. It hurts for me to imagine what she must have lived through to experience and replicate such anguish. Today, that mask-like, marble-cold face was blank as always, except when she set her eyes on Yusei – that small flinch, was it anger or confusion?

"Ruka?" I heard my brother's voice very close to my face. "Ruka, what's up?"

I realised that I was spacing out. "Nothing," I said quickly. "It's just –"

"Oh my god, look at the TV, Ruka!" Rua, easily distracted by the TV as always, pointed towards the screen in the room.

"What is it, Rua? Some kind of duelling show again? You don't need to tell me to –" I was halfway through my usual chiding when I noticed that the way his pupils were wide open showed more than the interest he showed to duelling. I was slightly curious so I looked properly at the TV.

What I saw was quite strange. At first I thought it was a movie, but then I saw the noon news bulletin sign. The cameraman was running and the footage was wobbly with movement. I caught a glimpse of something that looked like raw meat, and a second later it was gone. Then there were puddles of red, and pieces of dark stuff strewn all over the place. The TV's sound was turned low and all I could hear was the cameraman's heavy breathing and some Security shouting. And then there was a flash of white. The camera scanned past it but then moved back and zoomed in. It was a piece of white sheet, covering something that looked like a…

"They shouldn't be showing this, especially not to kids like you."

My view was suddenly blocked by a flowing white jacket. Jack Atlus was standing in front of the TV with his back towards us and abruptly, he turned the TV off. The room went quiet all of a sudden. I stole a glance at Aki. Her eyes were narrowed as she also focused on the TV.

"That… was that…" Rua's blabbering beside me. I felt my insides turn as well. Was that footage about the freaky deaths that have been happening all over the city?

"Ruka? Rua?"

I turned to the door. Yusei was standing there looking worriedly at my brother and I.

"It was nothing big. They were showing the footage of those deaths on the news." Jack Atlas replied for us. He turned to face Yusei, his pale Caucasian face impassive.

Yusei nodded towards the blonde duelist – since when did he start to nod towards Jack? I think I'm a little behind on what's going on – then his eyes moved to Aki with a slightly guarded look. Then, he walked to stand beside us. I shook my head and smiled up at him.

"It's alright. We didn't really see anything. Jack…" I nodded towards the other man's direction, "he turned it off before they got to it."

Yusei gave a brief smile in return. "Alright, then." Ever since the end of the Fortune Cup, he's been staying in our house, and trying all the time to get in touch with his Satellite friends while Jack had practically disappeared from view, public or otherwise. Godwin kidnapped Yusei's friends to force Yusei to join the Fortune Cup. I wonder if he's been talking with the Director about that?

"Ruka, I've seen to it that Rua's and your baggage are all placed in your room. Do you want me to show you where it is?"

I frowned a bit. "Are you going to eat, Yusei?"

"I'll eat later."

I looked at Rua, and he nodded at me. Truth be told, I'd rather go to my room too. Godwin's allocated all of us Signers with rooms in the Security main building. I think I'd feel that much safer in my room than out in this slightly desolate lounge.

"OK. Let's go then." I stood up from my chair. Rua jumped ahead of me and was already heading out of the door with Yusei, chattering away with him about this or that. I smiled to myself at seeing him like this. Jack had walked away from the TV to the back of the room. Just before I got out of the door I turned back and looked quickly around to make sure I didn't leave anything behind. As I looked at my chair I saw Izayoi Aki again, still sitting at the same place and staring into the TV, the blankness in her eyes mirroring the hollow glare of the dead screen before her.

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Just yesterday, I got Atlus-sama back from that reporter, Carly Nagisa. However, it feels like a lifetime away.

Now that Atlus-sama is safely back with us again, my turbulent heart had finally settled down. I feel content despite Jaeger's worried face as I walked into the Director's office.

"Have you heard about all these strange deaths in the city, Sagiri-san?" Jaeger motioned for the screen in front of him. He no longer appeared so hostile to everyone nowadays. Maybe the Fortune Cup affected him in some way as well.

"You mean those strange suicides?" I replied and looked up. The screen was showing the profiles of the deaths. "Yes, of course I heard about them. All the TV stations and newspapers are reporting them like crazy."

"Well, I wouldn't blame them." Jaeger shook his head and continued with that wheezy, whining voice of his. "All the victims had left suicide notes in their own handwriting, but there's no way any one of them died by suicide. I mean… just look at this last man," he brought up the control panel and moved along the profiles on the screen until a new, unfamiliar face appeared on it. "This is the latest death, found this morning. Massive internal bleeding into the abdominal cavity and lacerations all over the serosa. The kidneys are blasted loose from surrounding tissues, and the lung is reduced to smithereens. Long bone fractures, snapped spine, and the hands and legs are blown off. The officers who found the body outside of Tops had to be sent to a psychiatrist for trauma therapy. The body looks like as if a demon's been through it. Even the coroner is afraid to do an autopsy."

I swallowed as I listened to this horrid list of injuries. Jaeger's right; no one on earth would be able to commit suicide in this manner. It would've been alright if the victims just simply died; Security would have classified it as mass murder. The scary part is that every one of them had left suicide notes by their own hand, and family members had confirmed that some of the victims indeed had suicidal thoughts. But how come they died in this unnatural and violent way? Hypnotisation, witchcraft… rumours are flying like wildfire and the residents are terrified out of their wits despite the governing body's best attempts to keep it down.

"There's nothing we can do at the moment except keep investigating," Director Godwin's spoke up from behind his table. He was busily typing on his computer as he spoke. "Even though the Mayor had repeatedly demanded us to provide a plausible explanation."

"Of course he'd be worried. He'd be the first to go down if the public goes into a full-blown panic." Jaeger proclaimed as he left the control panel alone and turned to me. "How are the Signers so far, Sagiri-san?"

"They are well," I replied. "I checked all their accommodation and spoke with Atlus-sama."

"Did they have anything to say about having all of them lodging next to each other?" Director Godwin asked. He stopped typing and turned to face me.

"None whatsoever," I answered. "In fact, the child Ruka said she's glad that their rooms are next to each other."

"Good. And she's right; that'll keep more harm away from them," Godwin intertwined his white-gloved fingers. "How is Fudo Yusei, Mikage-san?"

"He…" I stammered. "He appears to be fine, but… he doesn't talk much. I can't read too much into him." I took a deep breath. "If I may be so bold, Director, what is your purpose in gathering all the Signers here? We have already awakened the Crimson Dragon's power during the Fortune Cup. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Please, Sagiri-san, did you think the Director would hold such a grand tournament just to find the Signers? Didn't you think even for one moment that their gathering has more meaning than just merely being here?" Jaeger spread his hands and sneered at me in his usual manner. Looks like I'll have to take my previous words back then.

"Mikage-san, beware of what you ask," the Director's face was harder than usual. I bit my lip. "But that's to be left till later. Here, Mikage-san, this file is for you." The Director motioned at a manila folder on his desk. I hesitantly walked up and picked it up in my hands.

"Mikage-san, I need you to go to Satellite immediately."

I let out a small gasp. Why in the world? "D… Director?"

"I want you to go there and look for strong duelists. Preferably someone who knew Yusei and Jack while they were in Satellite."

"Why, Director? Doesn't the city have enough strong duelists in its own?" Behind me, Jaeger was also puzzled.

Director Godwin just shook his head slightly. "Satellite has more stars than you'd expect, Jaeger. Mikage-san, I've arranged so that Ushio, whom you might remember as the man who came up to warn us about the dangers before Jack and Yusei's duel, will meet you over there and give you more information on this. Fudo Yusei had also demanded that he be assured of his friends' safety in Satellite; Ushio would help you to take care of that too. The helicopter is already waiting in the helipad on top of the building if that's alright with you."

"I… I…" I didn't know what to say to this. I bowed. "I will depart for Satellite immediately, Director. But…" Sometimes I really do hate this curiosity of mine, but I just had to ask. "Director… surely you'd be able to find someone better equipped to do this. I'm unfamiliar with Satellite and the Securities over there, and I'm hardly the best person when it comes to judging duelists…"

"You underestimate yourself, Mikage-san." When I looked up, Director Godwin was still looking at me with that steely face. I wondered wildly if I asked the wrong question again. "I'm sending you there because currently you're one of the few people I can trust. And I've seen your deck. I believe you have more than enough ability to recognise a good duelist when you see one."

And that was how the Director ended our conversation. Currently I'm walking towards the helicopter on the helipad, that precious folder clasped tightly in my hand. The storm that had raged on for the last two days had finally departed and stars are peeking through the sparse clouds above Neo Domino, although the last residue of the storm could still be seen across the sea, roughly where Satellite is. If the weather doesn't improve when I get there, the Director had planned to let us land on a ship out at sea and then enter Satellite by water.

"Sagiri-san." The pilot saluted me as I opened the door.

I nodded and sat myself into the passenger's seat. As I buckled myself in an idea came into my head.

"Are you from the Security team in Satellite?"

"No, Sagiri-san, but I do fly over there often." The pilot replied as he started to prepare for departure, turning dials and pressing buttons.

"Would you happen to know a Ushio-san?"

"Yeah I do. Ushio-sempai is one of the best Securities over there. He's the one who tried to stop Fudo Yusei from leaving the place, and then he followed Yusei all the way to city, too. I heard that he tried to go and talk to the Director just before the duel between Yusei and Jack to warn the Director about people getting unsettled with the final between Yusei and that psychic girl." The pilot looked at me. "Why are you asking?"

"Nothing. Just that Ushio-san's supposed to pick us up when we land." And I want to know just what kind of a person Ushio is. I shifted to make myself more comfortable in the seat. "Are we ready to go?"

"Ready when you are, Sagiri-san."

The motor started to run in full power, and the whirling blades began to spin above our heads. Soon, as the pilot skilfully manoeuvred the machine, we ascended into air. With a slight tilt of the cockpit our helicopter headed out into the sea, leaving the sparkling stars behind in the city's sky and moved towards the murky storm clouds still enveloping the heavens of Satellite.

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Travelling case in hand, I walked out of the airport and took a deep breath. It feels good to see my hometown again.

The storm that tore through the city had already departed, and the air was full of the cool, tangy, and refreshing smell of the ozone after heavy rain. I took a moment to relish the delicious air of this seaside town, which holds so many of my memories.

The limousine was already waiting for me in the parking lot closest to the exit. I walked up and nodded to the chauffer, who was standing holding the door open for me when he saw me come out, and sat into the car.

"Are we just going straight home today, Misty-san?"

"Yes, just home."

The chauffer nodded and placed himself into the driver's seat. I settled myself deeper into the leather seat and leaned my raven-haired head against the window.

After the limousine left the airport entrance, it sped on, along one of the city's numerous motorways which connected the separate parts of the sprawling city with one another like threads of spider web. As we moved I saw the familiar electronic sign with "WELCOME TO NEO DOMINO" above the road. I gave a small grin. It's not as if I really expected anything to change during my short absence, but that sign, written in both English and Japanese, has always symbolised the city in my mind.

After all, despite whatever I may feel for certain residents of Neo Domino, it is still the place where I come from.

In the current world, people no longer belonged to nations, but cities. Humans have reverted back to a political structure almost like the ancient Greeks, with each city establishing themselves in a state-like manner reminiscent of the ancient "polis". Globally, war had ravaged many countries, making them mere puppets for the city leaders. The same thing had also befallen Japan. The national government is less than non-existent and Neo Domino, a relative upstart in terms of history and power, is now the veritable ruler of this land.

Cities are everything to us. They are islands of civilisation left standing in the limitless mire of desolation that is the majority of the land. Any place outside of a city is less than habitable, ravaged and polluted by warfare. Immigration policies ceased to exist as nations and districts disappeared and people of all ethnicities flocked to all directions in search of a greater chance to survive. Although situated in Japan, the population in Neo Domino also gradually came to accept the increasing number of European residents. I myself am the daughter of a Caucasian father and a Japanese mother. My father's ancestry is German… I think. Even he wasn't sure about that. Turbulent times make people forget things.

It was two weeks ago that I was in Neo Domino last, attending that party held for the opening of the movie concerning the King. For me, such celebrations are unnecessary and trivial. I have seen too many of them. If it wasn't held by the Public Security Maintenance Bureau and endorsed by Kaiba Corp, I wouldn't have answered the invitation, especially since it means I have to come back as an established citizen.

Still leaning against the glass, I closed my eyes. The motorway was so smooth and straight I could even convince myself that I'm no longer in a moving car. Behind my closed eyelids, in the dark and quiet world of my own, I heard his voice again.

"_Nee-chan, nee-chan, I'm going to watch the Witch duel today."_

How happy was that voice, how sweet was that smile. And how I never thought I was going to lose him, the last of my family. I banged by head softly against the bulletproof glass. If only I stopped him from going on that day. If only I paid more attention to him. But he's gone completely out of my reach. Even Misty, the world's top model, the most acclaimed woman among mankind, can do nothing to bring him back.

I don't know why I even live here anymore. Out of habit, I still return to Neo Domino city after all my journeys. But what is left for me? An eternal regret, an unreachable nemesis. The skyscrapers of this city are plastered with images of my face, and yet I am consumed with a vengeance towards it, all the time knowing it would never be fulfilled.

I heard that there have been killings going on in the city as of late. I silently uttered a prayer for the souls of those poor deceased.

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Duelling Times –

Once again, bloodcurdling death has descended onto the streets of New Domino. Alex Wayne, 33 years old, was found by Security this morning in the suburbs adjacent to Tops, and a suicide note of his own handwriting has been found in his house just like in the previous deaths. He has sustained substantial internal injuries with lacerations on most of his organs, and his face was mutilated almost beyond recognition. This is already the eighth mysterious victim in this city, and Security is still refusing to say anything on the matter apart from that they're investigating into the issue. Who is causing all this? How can it possibly happen? And could all of our lives be in danger? Please turn to our complete article by our reporter Carly Nagisa in page B1, with full coverage of every case in this horrendous murder spree by the angel of Death.


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